Special Jury Award Winner at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival, On the Ropes is the compelling true story that follows the lives of three aspiring boxers and their trainer, Harry Keitt, one time sparring partner of Muhammad ... more &raquoAli.&laquo less

Movie Reviews

An amazing film

brian kusler | San Francisco, CA United States | 02/17/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"i was bored one night and walking past the castro theater in SF and i thought, "what the heck..." and went to see this film. it was amazing. the normally high-brow, semi-snooty film festival crowd was actually shouting at the screen during parts of this film. it's that exciting and emotionally wrenching. i was so happy that the director was actually in the audience and was willing to take questions. the line was 20 people deep at one point... everyone wanted to know what happens to these people after the film ends. the best part, though, was when someone asked about the coach, and she said something to the effect of "ask him yourself, he's right there--" when he stood up to go to the mike, the 1500 people in the huge castro theater gave the "star" of this documentary a 5-minute standing ovation.An absolute must-see"

The inside look from outside the ring...

Compusurge | New York City | 03/16/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"On the Ropes takes you inside boxing....not pro boxing where everyone has money, but young-people's boxing in urban NY, where they fight for their lives and struggle to break out of "their" ring. The film is such a perfect metaphor for life in an urban american city. What makes this film even more remarkable, is that it's all true. And not one of those washed out 'based on fact' movies. On The Ropes is a feature documentary about real people fighting real battles in and out of the boxing ring, and its production style is gritty, entangled and subsequently perfect, for the metaphor continues...the lives of the people it documents is gritty and entangled and complex.I highly recommend this film for viewing. If you're a boxing fan, you HAVE to see it, and if you are interested in real life drama, you have to see it."

Outstanding!!!

H. Tibbs | Canada | 02/23/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a great DVD that captures the lives and stories of 4 people, 3 fighters and a trainer, trying to chase the brass ring in boxing, and life. A wonderfully gripping story that mainly focuses on the life of still active middleweight George Walton. You root big time for the 4 as they struggle to leave the tough Bed-Stuy NY neighborhood they live in. The only complaint here is that the DVD cuts off a nice bit at the end of the originally aired story that follows the reunion of George and his girlfriend, now (real life) wife, after her release from prison. This also deleats the 'where are they now?' updates. Great stuff though!"

Champion documentary

fee-therman | Brooklyn, NY | 08/24/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This superbly crafted narrative documentary entertains as it informs, revealing the struggles of three young boxers and their trainer, all trying to rise above the circumstances of a tough neighborhood, their inner demons and self-doubts, and the pressures to exist and to succeed in the face of their dreams. Remarkably constructed, this documentary plays like a fiction film. The characters, each flawed and heroic, tell a powerful story of the human spirit, for which their sport, boxing, a familiar vehicle for such dramas, stands less as a symbol of our common fight to survive and to overcome and more as a way, a faith. Still, you can find some great boxing footage here, both in the gym and the ring. Watch out for the second round of Noel's Golden Gloves opening match! But that's just it. At the end of this film, these characters are just that: Noel, Harry, etc,: human beings. People you care about, who are fighting that which oppresses them, from within and without. Their stories are amazing and exceptionally well-told. This stands beside Hoop Dreams. Highly recommended."

A film about boxing and life

Haseeb | Tempe, AZ United States | 06/16/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This film follows the lives of three poor inner-city youths who want to get into prize fighting. It's shown very clearly that their lives outside of the ring are tougher than any boxing match one can imagine. One of the subjects has legal battles to contend with, another is having problems in school and another is having problems with the people who run the fights. Anyone who believes boxing is an easy way out for inner-city blacks and hispanics should watch this film."